4 minute read
Tech Topics
RVing is a great adventure and there’s always something new to learn! By Paul and Kerri Elders
Let’s take a quick look at some leveling ideas, learn a bit about 12 volt water pumps, and see how easy it is to keep the fun in RVing just by staying flexible. Ready? Let’s get going! Level Best: It’s important to level your RV once you’re cozied into your campsite. Basically, you can manually level a trailer this way: just place one or more blocks or 2x6inch boards in front of the trailer’s tires on the low side, and then pull forward onto them until you think your rig is level. This simple, tried and true old school method helps level the trailer from side to side. Here are a few detailed tips to make the job a little easier. When using leveling blocks and chocks to level your rig, always be sure to properly position the leveling blocks under your tires; this is especially important if your rig is equipped with radials. It’s important that your leveling blocks are large enough to support the full load of your RV and that the load placed on each tire is evenly distributed on the block. If you use a block that’s too small or if you position it unevenly under the tire, you can overstress the steel cables in the sidewall of radial tires, which could potentially lead to premature fatigue of the sidewall. Does your trailer have dual wheels? If so, always make sure the load is evenly distributed on blocks fully supporting both tires. Blocks should be wider than the tread and longer than the tire’s footprint (where the tire meets the ground). Always use the right size blocks for the job! Remember to chock the wheels before unhitching your trailer to prevent rolling. After leveling side to side, chocking, and unhitching, use the tongue jack to level the trailer from front to back. If your rig is equipped with stabilizing jacks, lower them onto a 2x6 board until they’re snug. Don’t overextend the stabilizing jacks; they aren’t intended to lift the trailer, they’re just designed to stabilize it. When using a manual method for leveling a motorhome, remember to chock the wheels, then place the transmission in the park position. And, always set the parking brake to prevent roll-offs. Practice makes perfect: you’ll quickly acquire the experience to accurately judge how many boards or blocks are required to level your rig in varying conditions. When you think you’ve successfully leveled your rig, verify by using a level bubble on your kitchen countertop to quickly see just how level your rig is; when you’re there, you’re done!
Water Pumps 101: When turned on, your RV’s onboard 12 volt water pump works to keep pressure on all your water lines, drawing its water from your freshwater holding tank and sending it throughout your RV. A demand-type device, an RV water pump runs only as needed to deliver water at a constant pressure. This pump is controlled by a simple pressure switch; when the pressure in the water lines builds up, the pump cuts off. When you open a faucet, the line pressure lowers and the pump comes on. If you turn the water pump on and leave a faucet open, the water pump will continue to run until all water from the freshwater tank is drained.
If you find your RV’s water pump is kicking on and off (short-cycling), you may have a water leak or a problem with the pump itself. Investigate this; don’t ignore it. The leak could be in the plumbing lines, faucets, the toilet, your showerhead, or possibly in a water line in the basement of your RV. If your water pump short cycles, you may find it’s well worth a quick trip to your favorite RV Service Center for a quick repair.
Plan Ahead, But Stay Flexible:
One often-overlooked key to reducing travel stress is a sublimely simple solution called scheduling. Timing is everything; time your trip so that, when venturing through a large city, you don’t arrive in the center of the action in the middle of rush hour. What could have been a quick and easy 20 minute trip through town can turn into two hours of agonizing frustration compounded by the very unwelcome combination of overheated tempers and an overheated engine. Why not simply slow down, take your time, and think about the general timing of your route before you find yourself knee-deep in five o’clock Big City rush hour traffic? Just a tiny bit of forethought can go a long way toward making your life easier, happier, and stress-free. One of the greatest gifts of RVing is freedom: make the most of it! Always remember that your living space is traveling right along with you, so you have a wide range of options regarding when and where you stop and go. Too much traffic? Take a break and have a sandwich. It’s a time-tested recipe for happy travels down the highway of life! Keep your eyes on the horizon and blaze a trail!
